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(No ModeL A. D. WEBSTER. EXTENSION LADDER.

Nb. 504,008. Patented Au 29, 1893'.

5i!gr UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS D. WEBSTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-- THIRDTO J. S. OONDELL, JR, OF SAME PLACE.

EXTENSIO SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,008, datedAugust 29, 1893.

Application filed April 24, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known -that I, AUGUSTUS D. WEBSTER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon, and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Extension-Ladder, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in extension ladders, and has forits object to provide a device or attachment for lowering the uppersections of extension ladders'to enable a person to lower himself anydistance required gradually without leaving the ladder, and securinghimselfby locking the same at any point that may suit his convenience.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of theconstruction and arrangement of the parts as will be hereinafter morefully described and claimed.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a ladder embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the laddersections. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line y-y of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an outer laddersection as shown, and 2 an inner section to which the same is applied.The upper end of each section is tapered slightlyand slotted as at 3 toreceive rollers 4, by which means the end of the ladder section that maybe resting against a building or elevation, can be conveniently loweredwithout scraping or defacing the wall or surface against which the endof the ladder may be resting, and also to permit a free movement of onesection on the other when the sections have been released to produce anadjustment or movement of the same. On one section is secured a pair ofarms 6 that stand outwardly therefrom, and have anti-frictional rollers7 journaled in the free ends of the same, that are arranged to bear uponthe edges of the side rails of another section of ladder which movesover the said section carrying the arms and rollers, and which isdesignated by the numeral 1. To the opposite, ladder-section 2 issecured another pair of arms 8, having journaled' in the ends Serial No.471,627. (No model.)

thereof a brake-roller 9, provided with cranks or eccentric spindles 10,which are mounted in bearings in the arms 8, and to one of said Icranksor eccentric spindles is rigidly secured an operating-arm 11, having ahook or catch 12, pivotally connected to the free end thereof. This hookor catch consists of a flat bar having a quarter-twist, and connectedthereto is an operating-cord 13. The broadened upper end of the hook orcatch is adapted to engage a pin or stud 14, which is arrangedperpendicular to one.side of the section which carries the arms 8, tothereby lock the parts in position to cause the brake-roller to hold thesections in fixed relative positions. The eca frictional contact thereofupon the adjacent ladder-section to clamp the same rigidly against theunder ladder-section when the operating-cord is taut, or when the catchor hook is engaged with the said pin or stud. When the ladder-sectionsare extended and it is desired to lower the upper section, the cord 13is pulled sufliciently to release the catch from the pin or stud 14,after which it is slackened sufficiently to relieve the pressure of theeccentric roller upon the lower section. This pressure may be relievedmore or less by the manipulation of the cord to allow the upper sectionto descend as slowly as may be desired, and dependent, of course, uponthe Weight sustained by the ladder. When the upper section reaches thedesired point the cord is again tightened to lock the sections together,and the catch is engaged with the stud or pin 14 to hold the roller inthe looking position.

It will be understood that the major radius of the eccentric is longerthan the distance between the bearings in the arms 8 and the rear sideof the lower seotion,whereby the cocentric can never become cra1nped,andhence when the operating-cord is released the pressure of the eccentricis relieved. The said longer radius of the eccentric is below thepivotal point of the eccentric, as will be obvious from the abovedescription.v

It will be seen that the device is operated to unlock or look the sameby the same rope or cord with perfect ease and safety, and that weightsresting upon the movable ladder seccentric mounting ofthe roller 9provides for tion can also be lowered at the same time without removingthe same from the ladder. The attachment can be applied to either smallor large ladder sections, and to the old style of ladders already in usewithout changing the construction of the same or incurring materialexpense. The advantages of the improved arrangement are manifold, and inaddition to those stated others will appear from time to time to thoseusing the improved construction.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- l. Thecombination of ladder sections adjustably mounted in connection witheach other, one of which is arranged to freely move over the other, aneccentrically mounted brake roller carried by one of said laddersections and arranged to engage the other to lock it in adjustedposition, said roller extending entirely across the said ladder section,and means to operate said roller substantially as described.

2. The combination of ladder sections adjustably mounted on each other,a pair of arms carried by one of said sections and supportinganti-frictional rollers, an eccentrically-mounted brake roller carriedby the other section and arranged to be operated to clamp the onesection against the other, and means to operate the said rollersubstantially as described.

3. The combination of ladder sections adjustably mounted upon eachother, a pair of arms secured to one of said sections and formingbearings for an eccentrically mounted brake roller, a crank arm fixed tosaid roller at one end, a catch and a cord havingits one end secured tosaid catch, substantially as described.

4. The combination with slidably-connected ladder-sections, of aneccentric brake roller mounted upon one of the sections to engageanother section, a crank arm fixed to said roller, an operating-cordconnected to said crank-arm, and a catch to lock the crank-arm in anadjusted position, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of slidably-connected ladder-section's, of parallelarms carried by one section to engage the adjacent section, aneccentric-brake roller mounted in bearings in said arms to engage saidadjacent section, a

crank-arm connected to said roller, and an operating-cord connected tosaid crank-arm and fixed at the opposite end to the rollercarryingsection, substantially as specified.

6. In an extension ladder, the combination of ladder sections movablymounted oneach other and having tapered ends with slots therein, rollersmounted in said slots, a pair of arms secured to one of said laddersections supporting anti-frictional rollers, a pair of arms carried bythe opposite ladder section, an eccentric brake roller mounted in thearms, a crank arm attached to one end of said roller, a catch connectedto said crank arm, a cord connected to said catch, and an adjacentlysituated pin or stud with which the said catch engages, substantiallyasdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS D. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

J. S. CONDELL, J12, JOHN S. PENNINGTON.

